The Dalles man sentenced to 12½ years in prison for the death of Hood River's Stephen Hayes

Jun 9

Written By Columbia Community Connection

By Joshuah Albert

Hood River, Ore., June 9, 2026 — More than a year after the death of beloved Hood River resident Stephen Hayes shocked communities throughout the Columbia Gorge, a The Dalles man has been sentenced to 12½ years in prison for his role in the crime.

Hood River County District Attorney Matt Ellis announced Tuesday that Johnathan Matthews, 32, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, third-degree robbery, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and was sentenced to 150 months in prison.

The sentence follows a judicial settlement conference held June 8 in Hood River County Circuit Court. Under Oregon's Measure 11 sentencing laws, first-degree manslaughter carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months in prison.

According to prosecutors, Matthews admitted to recklessly causing Hayes' death under circumstances demonstrating extreme indifference to the value of human life. He also admitted using physical force against Hayes to prevent him from recovering his stolen bicycle and operating a stolen vehicle without the owner's consent.

Johnathan Matthews admitted he dragged and ran over Stephen Hayes while fleeing a bike theft in a stolen pickup, receiving a 150-month prison sentence.

On April 11, 2025, Matthews stole a Ford F-150 from Jacobs Sanitation in The Dalles before picking up co-defendants William Hardy Jr. and Elizabeth Bowman and driving to Hood River, according to the prosecution. They said Hardy attempted to steal Hayes' bicycle and load it into the bed of the stolen pickup. Hayes' partner witnessed the theft and alerted him.

Hayes ran from his home to confront the suspects and grabbed onto the passenger side of the truck as Matthews attempted to flee, according to court records and previous statements from the district attorney's office. Matthews accelerated and swerved, dragging Hayes before throwing him to the pavement and running him over.

After the incident, prosecutors said the three defendants drove to Post Canyon, where they spent the night. Hardy and Bowman were arrested the following day. Matthews was arrested April 15, 2025, in The Dalles after a multi-agency search involving the Columbia Gorge Major Crimes Team. At the time of his arrest, Hayes' stolen bicycle was reportedly still in his possession.

In addition to the prison sentence, Matthews was ordered to serve 36 months of post-prison supervision. Violations of supervision conditions could result in additional sanctions.

The plea agreement resolves the most serious charges against Matthews, who had originally been indicted by a Hood River County grand jury on charges that included second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, robbery, and vehicle theft.

The case against Matthews was strengthened by testimony provided through a plea agreement reached earlier this year with co-defendant William Hardy Jr. Ellis said Hardy pleaded guilty on Feb. 9 to second-degree robbery, first-degree theft and second-degree burglary and had agreed to testify against Matthews if the case proceeded to trial. Hardy has not yet been sentenced.

Ellis credited members of the Columbia Gorge Major Crimes Team, including investigators from the Hood River Police Department, Hood River County Sheriff's Office, The Dalles Police Department, Wasco County Sheriff's Office, and Oregon State Police, for identifying, locating, and arresting Matthews.

"Our hearts go out to Stephen's family and friends," Ellis said in a statement. "He was truly a beloved member of the Hood River community and is dearly missed."

Hayes' death prompted an outpouring of grief across Hood River, where friends, family members, and co-workers gathered for vigils and memorials in the days following the incident. Hayes was remembered as a kind and valued member of the community whose death occurred while he was attempting to stop the theft of his bicycle.